1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin dropping game system and more particularly pertains to testing the manual dexterity of a player dropping a coin while turning a coin-receiving surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of games of known designs and configurations wherein coins are dropped or tossed is known in the prior art. More specifically, games of known designs and configurations wherein coins are dropped or tossed previously devised and utilized for the purpose of determining the manual dexterity of a game player through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist a basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,636 to Wyman et al. discloses a novelty game. U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,986 to Campbell discloses a coin drop game. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,912 to Tottey discloses an amusement device.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a coin dropping game system that allows testing the manual dexterity of a player dropping a coin while turning a coin-receiving surface.
In this respect, the coin dropping game system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of testing the manual dexterity of a player dropping a coin while turning a coin-receiving surface.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved coin dropping game system which can be used for testing the manual dexterity of a player dropping a coin while turning a coin-receiving surface. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of games of known designs and configurations wherein coins are dropped or tossed now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved coin dropping game system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved coin dropping game system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a system including a lower base of an opaque plastic material. The lower base has a horizontal lower plate and an open top. The lower base also has vertical side walls between its lower plate and open top. Elastomeric pads are secured to the lower face of the lower base as shown in the bottom of FIG. 2 in order to abate vibrations. The lower base is formed in a six-sided symmetrical configuration. Next provided is an upper base of an opaque plastic material. The upper base has a horizontal lower plate and an open top. The upper base also has vertical side walls between its lower plate and open top. The upper base is also formed in six-sided symmetrical configuration. The lower plate of the upper base is larger than the open top of the lower base. The lower plate of the upper base is centrally positioned upon the open top of the lower base. An exterior housing is next provided. The exterior housing is fabricated of a plastic material. The exterior housing has an open upper end. The exterior housing also has an open bottom end coupled to the top of the upper base. The exterior housing also has a transparent side wall between its open upper end and its open bottom end. The exterior housing is also formed in a symmetric six-sided configuration. Next provided is an interior housing. The interior housing is formed in a cylindrical configuration with a circular cross section. The interior housing has an open upper end. The interior housing also has a closed lower end centrally positioned upon the lower plate of the upper base. The closed lower end has a raised central region with a central aperture. An interior chamber within the interior housing and an exterior chamber between the interior housing and exterior housing are thereby formed. The exterior chamber supports a quantity of water. A lid is next provided. The lid is positioned over the upper end of the exterior housing in contact with the upper end of the interior housing. A central aperture and a plurality of slots are provided through the lid. A horizontal slot in the lid receives a projection formed in the exterior housing to secure the coupling there between. A vertical support shaft is next provided. The vertical support shaft has a lower end rotatably coupled with respect to the upper base. The vertical support shaft also has an upper end extending upwardly through the central aperture in the lid to above the interior housing. A handle is provided on the upper end of the support shaft for being turned by a player. The support shaft has five axially spaced horizontal plates. Each of the plates is formed with a plurality of planar coin-receiving surfaces, preferably two surfaces per plate. Note FIG. 5. Each of the coin-receiving surfaces is in a generally pie-shaped configuration. Cutouts are provided between the surfaces. The coin-receiving surface of the upper plate is greater in size than the size of the coin-receiving surfaces of the plates beneath the coin-receiving surface of the upper plate. The plates and coin-receiving surfaces are adapted to be rotated by a player upon the rotation of the upper end of the shaft. Next provided are operational components mounted within a lower base. The operational components include a lamp with a switch extending to the exterior of the lower base. An electrically operated pump is included as one of the operation components. Electrical lines extend from the pump to exterior of the housing for coupling with a source of electrical potential. A tube extends through the pump into the lower extent of the exterior chamber. Apertures in the tube function as a manifold to disseminate bubbles upwardly through water in the exterior chamber. Spaced clips secure the manifold to the upper base. Next provided is a priming line. The priming line has two lower ends coupled to the pump and to the manifold. A raised intermediate extent is secured to the exterior housing adjacent to its upper end by a clip. Coupling components are provided between the upper base and the interior housing. The coupling components include horizontal plates extending radially outward from the lower portion of the interior housing. Fixed co-operable inverted L-shaped receivers extend upwardly and radially inwardly from the upper base for the coupling and uncoupling of the interior housing from the upper base member upon mutual rotation there between. Next provided are security in components between the lid and the exterior housing. The security components include adjacent holes in the lid and the exterior housing and a padlock for selectively locking and unlocking the lid onto the exterior housing to secure coins within the housings. A vertical sign is provided for supporting indicia relating to the nature of the game and prizes to be won and charities to be helped. The sign includes a horizontal lower extension formed with an aperture and a fastener for removably joining the sign to the upper end of the exterior housing. In this manner when a coin is dropped through one of the slots and the handle is turned by the player, a coin may fall and possibly rest on one of the plates. Upon further movement of the plates, the coin may possibly be moved to rest on one of the lower plates with the score of the player increasing as a function of the lower most plate in which the player may make a coin rest.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved coin dropping game system which has all of the advantages of the prior art games of known designs and configurations wherein coins are dropped or tossed and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved coin dropping game system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved coin dropping game system which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved coin dropping game system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such coin dropping game system economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a coin dropping game system for testing the manual dexterity of a player dropping a coin while turning a coin-receiving surface.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved coin dropping game system having a lower base with a horizontal lower plate, an open top and vertical side walls. An upper base has a horizontal lower plate, an open top and vertical side walls. The lower plate of the upper base is centrally positioned upon the open top of the lower base. An exterior housing is fabricated of a plastic material with an open upper end, an open bottom end coupled to the top of the upper base, and a transparent side wall. A lid is positioned over the upper end of the exterior housing in contact with the upper end of the interior housing. A central aperture and a plurality of slots are provided through the lid. A vertical support shaft has a lower end rotatably coupled with respect to the upper base and an upper end extending upwardly through the central aperture in the lid. A handle on the upper end of the vertical support shaft is provided for being turned by a player. The support shaft has axially spaced horizontal plates. Each of the plates is formed with a plurality of generally pie-shaped planar coin-receiving surfaces.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.